Polymorphisms in the PMP-22 gene region (17p11.2-12) are crucial for simplified diagnosis of duplications deletions

DNA duplications and deletions of a 1.5-Mb region in chromosome 17p11.2-12 comprising the gene encoding peripheral myelin protein 22 (PMP-22) are the common mutations in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1 (CMT1) and hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies (HNPP). A 1.7-kb recombination hotspot region has been identified within misaligned flanking repeats (CMT1-REP elements) by detection of CMT- and HNPP-specific junction fragments in Southern blot analyses. In order to simplify routine diagnosis we introduce a polymerase chain reaction-based method to identify directly specific REP junction fragments. Using this test, specific fragments were detected in similar to 67% of both CMT duplication and HNPP deletion cases. Polymorphism within a specific restriction enzyme recognition site is crucial for both Southern blot and PCR analyses of junction fragments.